The Mythical Dudebro

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I always assumed dudebro was the term used to describe people who like FPS and sports games that you don't. "Oh you play COD and don't think Gone Home should be made the National Anthem? You must be a racist, sexist, homophobic dudebro!" or the ever classic "Oh, you actually like Madden games? You must be a racist, sexist, homophobic dudebro!"

Because you know, we're so open-minded and liberal that we can't stand people who don't praise Nintendo and Indie games the morally required amount of time.

 

[totheendofsin]

They absolutely exist, thing is none of them are active in gaming communities.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

You know how smug film snobs like to ***** about how Adam Sandler or Michael Bay movies, or the "Fast and the Furious" franchise, make billions, while really really amazing movies (according to them, of course) never make that much? You can pretty much apply that to gaming as well.

"Dudebro" seems to mean (as far as I can tell) "people who buy big-name, highly successful, mainstream AAA titles that I don't like." In other words, guys who play CoD, buy the new Madden every year, etc. Some people feel the need to insult them, because as far as they're concerned, they're the reason we get a new CoD every year, while 'Psychonauts' was a flop: because those idiot "Dudebros" can't be trusted to decide for themselves when a game is good or not.

It's worth noting that the reason you don't hear much from them about this is because most guys who fall under this category (that I know) don't spend a lot of time on gaming forums. They play games to have fun, and really don't care about whatever social justice issue people want to complain about with lack of "____________ protagonists".

I always assumed dudebro was the term used to describe people who like FPS and sports games that you don't. "Oh you play COD and don't think Gone Home should be made the National Anthem? You must be a racist, sexist, homophobic dudebro!" or the ever classic "Oh, you actually like Madden games? You must be a racist, sexist, homophobic dudebro!"

Because you know, we're so open-minded and liberal that we can't stand people who don't praise Nintendo and Indie games the morally required amount of time.

^^^^^^^^^^This

 

[Bizzaro Stormy]

I've met lots of folks who like COD and who like sports games. Only ever knew one Dudebro. He was a good guy and I miss him. He was loud, he was opinionated, he was high energy, he quote 80's action movies a bit much, but he was also one of the few people I'd want standing next to me on the edge of a cliff. He treated women with a lot more respect than most "enlightened liberal feminist" guys I've met. At one point the office flirt came to him and told him that he needed to stop being so nice if he wanted a long term relationship with a girl. Needless to say she was in her very early twenties and had a lot of growing up to do. I'd like to see him again some day and I would definitely trust him with my money, my life, my wife, and my mother.

This discussion does remind me of an old LRR video where two roommates get into an argument. The dudebro roommate is really confused when his nerd friend tells him he's not a gamer. He says "But I do play games," to which his friend responds, "Sports games! They don't count!" It was just a skit but I could believe conversations like that occurring in real life. Just play the games you like and if you're getting to excited when talking to people online, switch off the mike and take a breather. Taking a breather is the best way to avoid saying things you'll regret later.

 

[FPLOON]

the kind of guys who have Man Caves

Nerds can't have man caves? What the hell am I supposed to call this room then?

The Nerd Cave!

OT: The mythical Dudebro is like seeing a stereotypical person... You sometimes wouldn't know that they are one until you see it for yourself...

Other than that, I feel like taking a 20-question quiz to see how much of a Dudebro I'm not in retrospect...

 

[Shadow flame master]

Speaking of games that apparently only "Dudebros" play, what happened to the Madden series? It's like it dropped off the face of the earth.

 

[thoughtwrangler]

I don't know if archtypical Dudebros still exist, as the last self-awareness cataclysm may have led to their extinction. But I'd say that there's definite Dudebro DNA in the gamers who sneer and claim that "[Indie Game that I don't like] doesn't deserve all this attention. Let's focus on 'real' games, please." By real games they usually mean AAA titles.

I'm quite sure that while their digestive systems have adapted to more Dorito-scarce environments they will sometimes take to the Dorito groves and furtively scoop up their once-primary foodstuff.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Speaking of games that apparently only "Dudebros" play, what happened to the Madden series? It's like it dropped off the face of the earth.

They're still around and still hyper successful, Madden 15 was the second best selling game in the US last year (behind, of course, CoD: AW).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_NFL_15

I think they've gotten to the point where they don't really even need to advertise anymore, since people KNOW there will be one next year, and the year after, for as long as Football is the most popular sport in the US (in other words, the foreseeable future).

But I'd say that there's definite Dudebro DNA in the gamers who sneer and claim that "[Indie Game that I don't like] doesn't deserve all this attention. Let's focus on 'real' games, please." By real games they usually mean AAA titles.

Gotta be honest, I've pretty much never seen this, and I've seen WAAAAAYYYYYY more of the other way around, ie. 'we need to not talk about spunkgargleweewee dumb brown Military shooter 9000 and talk more about ___________________ (insert niche indie game here)"

Most 'Dudebros' I've met just don't really give a damn about small-time indie games, they're perfectly happy with their big-name titles.

 

[ultrabiome]

I even once met an even more elusive "DudeBro"-Girl gamer.

I have a prominent gaming collection in my living room, and I'm a classic gamer: I love and still play Nintendo games (platformers and RPGs), but I also play a good mix of modern fighting and action titles too. Anyway, my landlord, for some reason, invites her daughter over to meet us and say hello. She walks in, wearing an athletic jersey and a sideways ball-cap (looks mid 20s), and asks if I play CoD. I say "I don't play CoD" and she gets all offended and clearly looks down on my apparent geekiness in video game choice. Wow, needless to say she didn't stay long and I don't care to ever meet or see her again (luckily I never want to see our old landlord again either).

Sadly, even if I had an interest in military shooters (I don't - give me supernatural or hard Sci-Fi any day), I would probably avoid them because I don't want to be associated with that kind of gamer and the stereotypes of ignorance, entitlement, and elitism that are sadly partially justified.

 

[sageoftruth]

Well, there's two kinds I've seen.

There's the kind that just fits the stereotype. I consented to go to a sports bar for a friend's birthday, and just about everyone at the table was sporting the dudebro look. Mostly shaved heads, rippling six packs, gold chain necklaces and the uncanny ability to feel comfortable inside a sports bar.

Then there's the other dudebro, which is basically the go-to reference for someone with a shallow interest in something you're passionate about. It's pretty much taking "the mainstream" and applying it to a particular person. Are you passionate about fine cuisine? The dudebro loves McDonalds. Are you passionate about a particular music genre? The dudebro listens to whatever's popular. Are you a film connoisseur? The dudebro eats Michael Bay movies for breakfast with a side helping of Adam Sandler. And of course, if you're a fan of video games, the dudebro will be the guy who plays Call of Duty, Madden and whatever other games get the most marketing.

Of course, the two can overlap.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

You know... There's a lot of things I have no personal experience of. Doesn't mean that those things don't exist.

This^

I've a wide circle of friends and aquintences just from being in my 30's and having worked in several different fields, plus been a very sociable person.

Dudebros 100% exist. My ex's brother, a few of my good mates, randoms I know etc. - these are all lads who like a drink, like their sports, buy FIFA and COD every year religiously, and wouldn't touch a game like Dragon Age of The Witcher with a barge pole.

They tend to just follow the trend to fit in, and lack any real independance in all honesty. Not all of them, but definitely a large portion.

It's very sad that they are the target audience for a lot of gaming companies now, as such gamers loyalty is easily lost, and they're only good for a quick buck.

 

[MajorTomServo]

I'm an RA. My residency is about 60% dudebro. Their doors are all open right now, you can hear them shooting foreigners from here. I'm actually friends with a few. And yes, the stereotypes are true. All of them. The doritos, the mountain dews, the COD's, the Fifa's, the Madden's, the snap backs, all of it. You should see the halls on what I call "COD day." It's like a national dudebro holiday.

They're not so bad, though. Shit taste in... everything, but not bad.

True facts. Whoever claims to have not met a dudebro must not have stepped foot in a college dorm in a while (or at least, a state school).

The amount of times I've been woken up in the middle of the night to a random "AWWW DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT BRO? DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT! SIT THE FUCK DOWN, *****!" can't be counted on my fingers or toes.

 

[Shadow flame master]

I'm an RA. My residency is about 60% dudebro. Their doors are all open right now, you can hear them shooting foreigners from here. I'm actually friends with a few. And yes, the stereotypes are true. All of them. The doritos, the mountain dews, the COD's, the Fifa's, the Madden's, the snap backs, all of it. You should see the halls on what I call "COD day." It's like a national dudebro holiday.

They're not so bad, though. Shit taste in... everything, but not bad.

True facts. Whoever claims to have not met a dudebro must not have stepped foot in a college dorm in a while (or at least, a state school).

The amount of times I've been woken up in the middle of the night to a random "AWWW DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT BRO? DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT! SIT THE FUCK DOWN, *****!" can't be counted on my fingers or toes.

What university do you go to? I'm classified as a junior and while I have seen and heard people say that, I haven't really seen anyone like that. But then again, like I stated earlier, I go to a HBCU (Historical Black College University) so our experiences might be different.

 

[Somekindofgold]

Dudebros exist, they most certainly do. But they're not the devil that people like Moviebob tried to describe them as in his strange quest to get back at some mythical jocks that picked on him in high school. Dudebros are just another market for the industry to sell to, a very profitable one at that. I never got the stigma against them really, yeah they like CoD and Madden and buy the same game over and over, but so do weebs in regards to Final Fantasy yet they seem to be much less reviled.

I dont buy the 'they're the most obnoxious demographic in gaming' either, I've seen just as much, if not more bullshit from the MOBA lovers, the fighting game community and the MMO players. Obnoxiousness is everywhere in every hobby and profession. Assholes will be assholes no matter what they play.

 

[sageoftruth]

I'm an RA. My residency is about 60% dudebro. Their doors are all open right now, you can hear them shooting foreigners from here. I'm actually friends with a few. And yes, the stereotypes are true. All of them. The doritos, the mountain dews, the COD's, the Fifa's, the Madden's, the snap backs, all of it. You should see the halls on what I call "COD day." It's like a national dudebro holiday.

They're not so bad, though. Shit taste in... everything, but not bad.

True facts. Whoever claims to have not met a dudebro must not have stepped foot in a college dorm in a while (or at least, a state school).

The amount of times I've been woken up in the middle of the night to a random "AWWW DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT BRO? DID YOU FUCKIN SEE THAT! SIT THE FUCK DOWN, *****!" can't be counted on my fingers or toes.

Aw crap! I thought I'd gotten over my dudebro hate, but I think you reawakened it.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Dudebros exist, they most certainly do. But they're not the devil that people like Moviebob tried to describe them as in his strange quest to get back at some mythical jocks that picked on him in high school. Dudebros are just another market for the industry to sell to, a very profitable one at that. I never got the stigma against them really, yeah they like CoD and Madden and buy the same game over and over, but so do weebs in regards to Final Fantasy yet they seem to be much less reviled.

I dont buy the 'they're the most obnoxious demographic in gaming' either, I've seen just as much, if not more bullshit from the MOBA lovers, the fighting game community and the MMO players. Obnoxiousness is everywhere in every hobby and profession. Assholes will be assholes no matter what they play.

This sounds like something a Dudebro would say...GET HIM!!!

J/K, yes, the stereotyping here is hilarious. I've met several nerds who were virgins, so from now on I'm just going to assume that all nerds I meet are virgins.

 

[aozgolo]

I find these issues with "dudebros", "neckbeards" and "12 year olds" entirely irrelevant as a 99% offline single player gamer

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Dudebros exist, they most certainly do. But they're not the devil that people like Moviebob tried to describe them as in his strange quest to get back at some mythical jocks that picked on him in high school. Dudebros are just another market for the industry to sell to, a very profitable one at that. I never got the stigma against them really, yeah they like CoD and Madden and buy the same game over and over, but so do weebs in regards to Final Fantasy yet they seem to be much less reviled.

I dont buy the 'they're the most obnoxious demographic in gaming' either, I've seen just as much, if not more bullshit from the MOBA lovers, the fighting game community and the MMO players. Obnoxiousness is everywhere in every hobby and profession. Assholes will be assholes no matter what they play.

Top post.

I like most "Dudebros" I know, but........I do have a slight issue with them as far as gaming goes.

Actually, no, it's not them I have the issue with - they are just doing their thing - it's the game companies which betray their fanbase in favour of the Dudebro dollar.

Without a doubt, games which are deemed more "hardcore" have been watered down and, IMO, often butchered to appeal to Dudebros (Mass Effect to Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age Origins to Dragon Age Inquisition, Morrowind to Skyrim etc.). This is just rotten, and a total decimation of such series.

Most of the Dudebros wouldn't touch a Dungeons & Dragons based game anyway, no matter how it played or looked because, according to the stigmas a lot of Dudebros live by, Dungeons and Dragons guys don't get laid anyway lol. So why these game companies have to destroy the games us none-Dudebros love in order to appeal to an audience with little interest in that genre anyway is beyond me.

 

[Bat Vader]

DudeBros do actually exist. They're the more typical guy. Ones who like sports, and drinking beer, and you know just average guys. Heck I know some DudeBros, I even know some gay DudeBros. Basically they're the sort of person you'd expect to find in a sports bar, the kind of guys who have Man Caves, who obsess over their favorite sport. They're generally rather limited in the scope of games they'll actually play. Your modern warfare shooters like CoD, and BF2 and later, Sports games, Assassins Creed games, and the like. Basically games that are rather bland, easy to play, not the sort of thing you'd get deeply involved in for hours and hours generally.

Basically people who are the base demographic for basically everything.

EDIT!!! "Drinking bear" My brain farts are truly the stuff of legend.

Wait, I like sports, I obsess over sports, I have a man cave, I play sports games, but I am not limited in scope as to what games I play though. Am I some extra mythical cross between a dude bro and a gamer? Am I the missing link connecting the two? So many questions.

 

[Islandbuffilo]

As with most these flattering stereotypes of gamers, they're only partially true. I know plenty of guys who buy games (All triple A) just because the commercial looked cool, only to play them 30 minutes a day for 3 days and then proceed to let them collect dust, ( I'm kinda guilty of this too, but most of my games are 40hr+ and have long post game content). But the snapbacks, Dew, and Doritos are absent.